Suffocation

Rita was 18 when she got married. Her husband was 21, he was working in a bank as a government employee. So Rita's parents were very happy that they had find a nice suitable groom for their daughter.

Shayam (Rita's dad): let Rita come from school, and you tell her to get ready as the groom's mom is coming to meet her to finalise the wedding.

(Rita's dad was taking to Rita's mom Lakshmi ).

Lakshmi : yes you don't worry I have ironed a good bright pink colour saree for her as soon as she comes from school I will tell her to get ready.

Shayam : tell her to wear some gold jewellery too.

Lakshmi nooded and went in kitchen to prepare food for the guest.

Rita was a very bright child she wants to do English honour's and then she wanted to be a teacher.

But she knew that there parents will not allow her to study further she had already applied for scholarship in Delhi since Ambala ( where she was living was closer to Delhi) and she knew if she gets the scholarship in a college in Delhi they can't not stop her.

Today was her last exam on the way to home she took a bus till her home. She had a habbit of writing about her day, about her wishes and what she want in life. All she use to write in a diary.

She was very happy today because today was her last paper. So hoping in happiness she stepped in the home.

Her mother narrated her that guest are coming to see her and she need to get ready for that. Rita simply noded as she was not able to do anything more than that.

As her mom went out, Rita was alone in her room she got teary eyes. She saw her dream's shattering. But she was helpless. She felt suffocated. She wrote it down and she got ready.

The guest came groom name was Varun he came with his mother. Her mother asked Rita about her likes, about her cooking skills. She saw that she was fair and she had worn a pendent of gold along with gold earings and gold Bangles were there too. So Varun mom (Sudha) was happy to see that the girl will bring something along with her.

The marriage was fixed in January which was exactly three months away from now. Shayam agreed as he wanted a government servent as his son-in-law.

Soon three months passed in the preparations. And the day arrived of their wedding. Rita was helpless so she just surrendered her self in the event. She was smiling but she was finding it hard to find her inner happiness.

All the ceremony was done properly she was off to her new house, in a new family with new people. She was only happy for one thing as of now that her husband had a job in Delhi the city she had once dreamed to live in. But apart from living there she had nothing of her choice. No further studies. No job nothing

Sudha her mother-in-law was happy because Rita along with her had brought many stuff like, one bed, TV, fridge, cupboard, new dresses was giving to Sudha along with a gold necklace and a ring, Varun had also received a gold ring, a gold chain. Along with many new clothes.

As Rita went to varn house in delhi. She was adjusting to new thing there was only three members in the family Rita, her mother-in-law and varn as her father-in-law had passed way long back. Rita had given a routine the day she entered that was to get up 5 in the morning have a bath and do the prayers in the home. Then prepare tea and breakfast for her mother-in-law and her husband after they are done with the breakfast she had to eat. Then she need to mop her whole house, dusting and then again cooking. If sometimes guests came in her mother-in-law ask her to cook new and Verity full of dishes. And if something went wrong in any dish she use to taunt Rita in frount of guest.

Rita got tired of all this she can't even share all this stuff with her mom, because if her mom calls her to ask about her health, Sudha stnad near the phone only to see what the mother, daughter are talking about till the call ends. Varun saw all this but he did not speak any thing. Rita indirectly complaint about her mother-in-law to varn but he said that this is your duty and you have to do every possible thing to keep my mother happy.

Rita got shattered after listing thing the person her better half which she thought will support her but she found a dead end there too. She soobed hard that day her eyes was too swollen.

But no one gave attention to her she felt no happiness in that house, no comfort them. As a year passed Rita got pregnant during the initial six months of her pregnancy her mother-in-law showered her a lot of love which she did not dreamed of at any moment even Varun started coming early from work. Her mother-in-law cooked food for her, some desi ghee ladoos for her. On the day of sonography, varn along with her mother and Rita went to the doctor.

Doctor told them about the child was healthy Sudha wanted to know , about the child that is there a boy or a girl. They wanted a boy. So they asked the doctor about it. Doctor told it's a girl. Rita was happy to know she will be a mother of a very healthy daughter but Sudha and Varun's faced dropped they wanted a boy. They asked for a abortion rita got stunned after listing that but she had no word to speak.

The doctor told that the time had gone they can't go for abortion. So they went back home. But The ride back home was like a funeral ride. No word, no laughter.

As they reached home the mother and son had a discussion that they will sent Rita back to her home for delivery. She heard their discussion and had tears in her eyes. But she had to pretend that she knew nothing about it. The only thing she had was a baby in her whom, a gold chain (mangalsutra) and a ring rest all the gold she had brought with her. Her mother-in-law had kept with her and never ever gave her.

Two days she had before she had to go to her parents house. But she had made up her mind that she don't want to live in their in-laws house and nither in her parents house. So the next morning she was waiting that her mother-in-law to go for a bath because that's the only time she can use the landline phone. So the only friend she knew can help was her childhood friend Radha. She knew her number and dialled her. To her luck Radha picked her phone. Rita narrated her entire story to her. Radha said her not to think twice and come to her place.

Next day in the morning she knew her mother-in-law will get up at six and she need to get up at five to do the same old routine. From the day they came to knew that the baby is a girl they had stopped caring for Rita.

So she got up but to her surprise her mother-in-law was up that day. And she saw a bag with her Rita was puzzled. Sudha told her that she had to go to her parents home for delivery. Varun will drop her. But somehow Rita managed to say that " we should not disturb Varun, as it's hard to miss office. Sudha was more than happy to listen this thinking that her son do not have to waste a day for her. And Rita too knew that they don't care for her so they will easily let her go by bus. Varun dropped her to the bus stop.

Rita took the bus and went to Radha's place, Radha lives in a joint family with her in-laws and a brother-in-law and his wife. His brother-in-law had a son named suraj. He was in class fifth. Radha told her family about Rita. They all were okay with Rita coming in and staying with them.

Rita reached in the evening at Radha's place. Seeing Rita in this condition Radha's mother-in-law comforted her. She was giving a room for herself seeing every one so helpful and caring she was very touched.

She told them I won't be a burden to you all as soon as I find a home and a job I will leave. Radha would shut her up. And she would say concentrate on yourself and on your baby. Sometime suraj would come by and sit with rita. Rita will help her in his studys. In the homework sometimes. Suraj liked the way Rita would teach him, he understands every thing that Rita would teach her.

Soon the day of her delivery came and she gave birth to a very cute, healthy and chubby baby girl. Rita removed her ring and gave it to Radha and said " everything what you have done for me this is very less but please keep this as the expense you had spent on my delivery". Radha kept it quitely at that moment because she knew Rita would to listen to her.

Rita named her daughter vedha (knowledge) she said I will teach her to my most. The thinks I had failed to do in my life vedha will achieve it all. Rita found her happiness her world in vedha. But back in her head she had a deep thought that how she will raise her child. Without any money in her hand. As she was thinking about this Radha's father-in-law came in she stood up out of respect. She was about to say thanks. But he handed over her a form which read post for English teacher in the same school in which suraj goes.

Seeing that Rita said I can't do this I had left study's a long back. Radha's father-in-law said don't worry my child I had seen you teaching Suraj the way you teach you have Passion and dear one can never forget their studies you had just lost a touch. You will get back to it as you will start teaching.

She could only node and nothing else she was happy to find a way, a source of sun rise. But she had a thought that who will take care of vedha. Rita was in between her taught as Radha's father-in-law said you can take the upper floor room for yourself. Rita said no I can't take that you had give me a lot now I can not be a burden on you not anymore. Radha's father-in-law said you won't be a burden I will give you that room on rent as vedha is our daughter too. We will take care of her. And you can pay me as you will receive your salary.

Rita can only smile on that and she was too happy, Radha was standing out she came in Rita hugged Radha and thanked her.

Five years had passed vedha had started going to school, Rita still lives with Radha she pays her rent, and along with that she had enrolled her self for English honour's first year. No one from her in laws contacted her not even made a effort to know where is she. Her parents contacted her many time but she refused to move in with them. She wsa happy to find her new family which was not at all suffocating for her. Today is vedha's fifth birthday there are balloons every where. They are kids, there is real laughter, real relations and real love. Vedha came to Rita and said " mummy she my gift" it was a gold chain Rita was suprised to see a gold chain. But then she was Radha winking at her. Rita went to Radha she was about to say that she can't not accept that expensive gift. But Radha said " do you remember Rita on the day vedha was born you had given me your gold ring I had kept that ring with the thought that I will make a gold chain out of it for our vedha when she will grow up, you are like my sister so how can I accept anything from you other then love. Rita had tears in her eyes but the tears was happy tears. She hugged Radha and thanked her.